Safety belt



AOCt. 14, 1952 Q w ROSE 2,613,865

SAFETY BELT Filed June 15. 1947 2 SHEETS--SHEET l Oct. 14, 1952 Q w, ROSE 2,613,865

SAFETY BELT Filed Junel5, 1947 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2A Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT masts OFFICE v 2,613,865 SAFETY BELT Clarence W. Rose, Denver, Colo. f Application June :13, 1947, SeriaiNo. 754,475

This invention relates tosafety devices of they type usedl to, rcheck the f accidentalfalling of workers or'others wearing the device and especially to devices of such class which include a construction adapted 'to withstand .the Vstrains or pulls exerted 'thereon during the normal activities vof the wearer butto break or sever under abnormal strain or pull and which lalso includes a safety element adapted to come into operation upon the breaking or severing of the said construction and to decelerate to a stop'thefall of anchorages are., of varying `and uncertain strengths', the.A present yinvention is primarily, thoughlnot exclusively, designed for use of structural Workers who are provided with anchorages of ample strength. f v

An object of theprese'nt invention isto provide an improved normal-pull-withstanding -element 'in' a device or belt '.of' thejclass described.-

, A further object is to provide, in such a belt or device, an improved' Safetylpr decelerating element.j V l f `A yfurther object is, to provide improved means for' retarding' the break'i ng`, or 4severing of the normal-pullwithstandingelement. A further objectisto provide, in such a belt, anr .improvedj assembly ,of the normal-pull-withstanding element andthe safety or decelerating element.. L

A further object `istoprovide a belt of the classI described which, lwithout, lessening v.the highest attainable degree ofeiciency in normal useorr thehighest attainable degree of safety in case of accident, shallf be, of .extreme economy and simplicity inl construction.

' With these and' other objects in v iewfall of which shall .more fullyfhereinafter appear, the invention comprises certain novel, constructions, combinations land arrangements of parts Ias will now be describedand as definedy in the appended claims andas illustrated, in preferred embodiment,` lin the accompanying drawing,` in which, .Y 'f'Fig. 1` is a. plan, or top edge "view, of my improved belt, complete except that the conventional lterminal portions lof the body-encircling strap and 'of the body pad are omitted.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the structure lShown at is Claims. (Cl. 227549) Fig. Sis a `fragmentary view of the structure shown at Fig. 2, except that there is hereillustratedfaV fastening means which may be used as an alternative to the lineary stitching illustrated at Fig." 2.`

Fig. vrlis a Section taken on line '444 of Fig. 1. Fig'. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 isa section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is -a fragmentary view like Fig; 1, but

foreshortened and exploded.

Fig. 8 is afragmentary View on 'enlarged scale illustrating the normal interrelative positions land arrangement ofthe parts of the structure atthe point of attachment of the D ring.

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 8 but illustrating the interrelative position of the par'tsjust after thel fall of the 'wearer has broken the' transverse stitching shown at Fig. 8.

ming. v101s a view lineari-g'. 9 but'iimstranng 'the' condition ofthe partsafter the stretchable material 'has begun to Stretch.

Fig. 11 is a View like Fig. '10 but illustrating the further stretching of the stretchable material, Without eXactness in detail. My invention is primarily designed for wearing by a'workman as a belt and will, therefore, be'y referred to generally as aY safetyV belt'y and i's provided with any suitable means for v,securing the vsafety belt to the wearer Aand vSuch means'are indicated by the strap I5, the buckle .or other 'conventional fastening means' being romitted from the drawing. Carried by and inside the strap l5 isv the usual ybody pad 16; A link, l'l,`.preferably rectangulares shown, has oneA of its Sides mounted between the strap and the pad at 4a point which will be at or near the middle of the back 'of the wearer whenthe belt is worn.' i

Normally secured to the strap, andy alongjthe back thereof as wornjare two reaches or layers of a band or Strip I8 of stretchablejmaterial which are covered with a wear-guard I S, ,preferably of leather. The strip or band I8 is 'looped around the bases of the D rings `(later described) as at lad'and its ends overlapped andA suitably secured together, as by stitching, as [8b. These layers of band I8, including the overlapped portions at lsb, and thewear-guard all liewithin and are linked tightly together by link l] and they are all interengaged to strap l5. bylongi'- tudinal stitching 263 (Fig. 2)f or otherv -suitable means such as rdecelerating clipszl (Fig. 13)

these methods of attachment and their requirements and functions being hereinafter described. vThe ends of the wear-guard I9 are looped around the loops .lac of the band lgas at'A |911 and their extreme ends are tapered as at |922' The safety belt as thus far described, when vworn by a worker and anchored as indicated; will withstand all the strains and pulls-to which-it will be subjected during and by the normal acrtivities of the wearer, it beingunderstoodthat the various parts are constructed of thewdimenf sions and quality ordinarily employed for such PlllfllCLSeS-Y f y i The vsafety elementsand; functions, designed l to begbrousht. into.. operation in oase of.` the .aneidentalrfallof the wearer, will now be described. It will be understood that the anchorv ropes aresu'lciently slack to*l permit the wearer; to change position as requiredby.hisworlnso that in case-of the accidentaLfall ofthewearer, he will drop-Without hindrnnceuntil the slack the anchor ropes is takenlupandthe ropesaie taut by, which ytime the falling wearer ofthe belt. has gained a. momentum whiohexerts a. nullo vthe .anchor ronesereatly inexcessottlie W of the wearer, frequentlyr several. times tliotLweight. .The cross stitching 2li! 'is made of such strength that when, fsuloieoted. to. this.Y excessive.. vpullJ to.- a predetermined amount it. will` break.. orf. sever, freeing the end 'I9b of. the wear-guard omwhich the excessive pull is rst exertedaridleavingonly the longitudinal.stitching 2l)` to hold'the band I8 and therethrough. the., D ringfand anchor rope) tothe-'strap I5. The stitching,2,0 isfrnade ofsuch strength thatwhile it will nothold. under the excessive pull towhich it. will, under, suchv condi.- tions, be subiected,` itwilL.neverthelessgretard the-tearing ofgtheband I8 fromthestrapl and thus have .a retardingA effect. upon the 'falli of. 'the u'learer of the belt. f

Atthispoint it should be understood-that .the band `I8 isfvormedvofv stretchable material like the safety rope described in my, said. Patent. N d. 2,581,772, that. isto say thatjwhile itisapable of` being, stretched it musthavethequalityof resisting the stretching force so ,that thastretchingwill be retarded from the beginning until the Y limit of.- stretching. isreached. Also,` preferably,

it will not have a. quick reacting'. elasticity which wouldv result in, a.. quick, lo r substantial,- rebound of the-objeetcausing the stretching-AT when thes'tretching limit isreached.,V Certain, nylon V.

ropes andbandsnow onythe market have-these qualities andv can .be used ,forv 'the .band IB ingmy 'safetybelt 'l I t ,will beunderstoodthat one-of the principal objects of safety devicesoi this class is toayoid the', injury which is. apt to be. donetola falling workenfif broughtto asudden stop; by providing means to. retard the falland. bring. the-.worker gradually to aston-ease hi1n.t/O,astop.` 'Ihi'sis accomplished most. efficiently by` my safety.v belt because as .soon as the. Cross stitching?. .is broken andthe endIBa of the wearfguardig.released, the two reachesI or layers of band I8 beginA to stretchV but at the same time exert their retardingA influence and, coincidently, the.. longitudinal stitching begins-to tear away'but it; also,jexerts alongy the encased elements.

its retarding influence and this continues until the stitching is torn away as far as the link I'I whereupon the link prevents further tearing of the stitching but by this time the combined retarding inuence of the stitching and the band I8 has sufficiently decelerated the fall and reduced the pull so that the retarding influence of band I8 alone will be suflicient to decelerate the fa-ll'to/a s topbeiore thestre-tching limit of band I8, is reached;

The structure thus far described may be modied by slightly enlarging the link I'I so that while it will encase the strap, band and wear-guard it will not bind these elements tightly together asfhereinabove described) but will encase them sufficiently loosely so as to be capable of sliding When a belt thus constructed is subjected to the excessive pull resulting from the fall of the wearer and the tearing ofthe longitudinal. Stitching has reached the; centrallyl positioned. link IJ, instead, of. the link Stopping .the tearing, .as .abovedesoribed the link will be. slid: alone the enoa'sedelementsand the tearing of; the.longitudinalstitching.will.conf tinue.- .In suoli onSeJiowei/er. there will he a 'Considerable friction between. j tlieJlink. andthe Streu and' betweenftne. li'nlr.. and. the .wear-guard which lies between tnelinliend the. outer'reach Ofjgband wand this friction wi11..eire.r.t .affurther retnriling. influence-'0,11 ille'. falling o the. wearer. This. niodined. structure. thus also. permits the .Separation of'tlieban. lffromthe. Strap. for the full length of the' bandiendbrinss.intotpleythe .n.tligs 3 anun; there illustrateuanfalterne.-

tive ninetnofii of.. securing. the. bond.. I'iv andthe Wenlvguard' to the/strap. eind. aonomnlishng. the retarding of the tearing' away of. niemand from the strap. In this embodiment I eliminatethe longitudinal stitching and,v in*stead..A provide" a series ofuclips 2|, which normally.. bind the vband and' guard to the strap but wliiwefl'i..under ex,- cessive pull, will.successivelyv opener. break and release the guard. and. the band inA a, manner similar. tothe breaking ofthe longitudinalstitchfine., at the .Same timeexertne 'asimilar retarding influence. 'IheseA clipsk are. made. o f. ,any4 ma.- `terialsuitable for the purpose and comprise a base v2| a which lies between the strap `arid the Pnnsidesllb wniolilenelose the. edeeslof. bend I8' and vguard I9 rand4, conveniently, two. front leaves 2I which normally pressl downaganst .the

pull resulting from the accidental fall .of afweerer offthe belt. In this case. the link, II needl not be slidable. in order to utilizethestretcliability of the full length oi. 'the bend ,because .while the band,k in normal condition. .is Vo.ler,1r1nf-i. itightly between the strap .arriljlthe wear-'guard bythe clips, 2| the bend. tliinsas' ity stretches' ,sethat evenif. the link shouldremainin its normal, central nositionV after. the. tearinsof, the .olinsll reaches', the link, Y the, thinning. of.A the. bund.- ber tweenthe strap and. the wearfguarrl, resulting from itsl stretching, willileave the bandfree to stretch. for its f ull length without. openingthe clips which lie beyond the link'. However, the link may be made slidablewith the clipconstruotionaswell aswith the lonsitudinalstitfoh construction and, when slidable, it will exerta retarding friction along the. series .o f clips .in,.S11Iostantiallyfthe samev manner, as the. above-rdescribed frictional retardingpaction of the When sliding along the longitudinally stitched elements.

I have hereinabove described the release of l the stretchable band or strip as if the tearing action and retarding influence of the stitches or clips will be the same, in substance, as-hereinabove described.

Thel guardv lilA has been described as a" separate member made, preferably, of material such as leather. It will, however, be understood that the principal function of the guard is protection of the stretchable band from Wear, weather, etc. and this protection might be provided in various Ways-even by covering the band with a suitable coating instead of providing a Wholly separate guard.

I have illustrated and described many details of construction but I am not to be limited in my protection to the details thus illustrated and described, as alternative equivalent structures will occur to those skilled in the art and I have in mind, and desire protection broad enough to cover, such alternative and equivalent structures as Well asvthe structures which I have specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. For persons in elevated positions, a safety device including, in combination, substantially non-stretchable means for securing the device to the persons body, means for attaching the device to anchors and means for interconnecting the body-securing means and the anchor attaching means, including a stretchable element and serially separable means for interengaging said element with the body-securing means, said interengaging means being adapted to withstand stresses exerted thereon by the normal movements of the person and thereby hold said element in unstretched condition but being also adapted to serially separate responsive to abnormal stresses and thereby successively release portions of said element for stretching, and other means maintaining permanentengagement of a part of the element with the body-securing means.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1, the said interengaging means being arranged in a series substantially throughout the length of the Velement, and being adapted to release portions of said element responsive to abnormal stresses whereby the release of the stretchable elementA is succssively retarded by the successive resistance of said interengaging means.

3, In a device as defined in claim 1,v said interengaging means comprising stitching through said body securing meansl and said stretchable element.

4. In a device as defined in claim 1, said interengaging means comprising stitchings through and longitudinally of said securing means and said stretchable element.

5. In a device as vdefined in claim 1, said interengaging means including a series of clips encasing said body securing means and said stretchable element, said clips having parts adapted to release portions of said element responsive to abnormal stresses.

6. In a device as defined in claim 1, a guard member, the stretchable element being normally positioned between the body-securing means and the guard member, the interengaging means also securing the guard member to the body-securing means. i

y '7. In a rdevice as defined in claim 1, a guard member, the stretchable element being normally positioned between the body-securing means and the guard member, the stretchable element being permanently secured to the anchor-attaching means and thevguard member being longer than the normal, unstretched, length of the stretchable element and being adapted to normally cover the stretchable member by the folding of the ends of the guard member over theends of the stretchable element and stitching such folded ends between the stretchable element and the body-securing means.

8. A safety belt including, in combination, a body-securing strap, means for attaching the belt to anchors, a stretchable strip attached to the anchor-attaching means and permanently linked to the strap, and serially separable means normally connecting the stretchable strip, in unstretched condition, to the strap, said connecting means being adapted to withstand thel stresses exerted on the belt by the normal movementsof the wearer of the device but adapted to serially separate and thereby release, for stretching, successive portions of the strip.

9. In a safety belt as dened in claim 8, the connecting means including a series of stitches through the strap and the strip.

10. In a safety belt as defined in claim 8, the connecting means including a series of stitches through the strap and the strip and extending substantially throughout the length of the strip.

11. In a safety belt as defined in claim 8, said connecting means including a series of clips encasing said strap and said strip, each of said clips having a part which is adapted to release aportion of the strip responsive to abnormal stresses.

12. In a safety belt as defined in claim 8, the connecting means including a series of members normally connecting the strip to the strap substantially throughout the length of the strip, the means for permanently linking the strip to the strap comprising a link normally positioned centrally of the strip but being slidable along said strip and strap.

13. A safety belt including, in combination, a I

body-securing strap, means for attaching the belt to anchors, a stretchable strip secured to the anchor-attaching means, a link permanently connecting the strip to the` strap, and other means including serially separable elements normally connecting the strip, in unstretched condition, to the strap, said other means being adapted to hold the strip to the strap under normal stresses but to successively release portions of the strip for stretching responsive to abnormal stresses.

14. In a safety belt as defined in claim 13, said other means including a series of elements eX- tending substantially throughout the length of the unstretched strip.

15. In a safety belt as defined in claim 13, said link being Vnormally positioned longitudinally centrally of the strip but being slidable along the strip and the strap upon separation of the serially separable elements.

16. In a safety belt as defined in claim 13, said other means including a series of clips normally encasing said strap and strip, a portion of each of said clips being adapted torelease a; portion of thev strip rresponsive to abnormal stresses.

1'7, In asafety vbeltas defined in'c1aim-13,'said otherr means including a seriesV of'. stitches through the strip and strap. 5 18. In a safety belt asdened'in claim 13, a guard member. covering and being longer than the, unstretched strip and `having its ends folded over the ends of the strip and engagedl to the strap by. means adapted to releaseI said'engage- 10 ment responsive to abnormalstres'ses;

CLARENCE .W ROS-E.

REFERENCES G ITEDv The `following referencesare ofrecord `inl the 15 le of thisl patent:

Number Number 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name y l Date; Tricau 'Nov 14, y1933 Kabat, Aug. 161938 Rose et al ,'Ot, 10, 1939 Deike, Jr. NQY.,17'1942 Tauty `June 20,1944

Brickman Ju1y.18,1944 Zimmern ,Mar, 9,1948 Schultz Jan. 18, 1,949

FOREIGN PATENTS y Country -Date Australia 'Nov'. 1,'1944 Great'Britain Sept.' 181937 France v Mar,v i5, '319235 

